The Children – Demo

The Children
Demo
1987 (no label)
Costa Mesa, California, USA

Michael J. Pritzl – Voice, guitar
Jerry Andrews – Lead guitar, backing voice
Kirt Gentry – Bass guitar
Thomas E. Dunne – Drums

1. You Make Me
2. Violet

Don’t know if this was meant as a S/T demo or just an untitled demo. As with 1986’s The Killing and 1987’s Darker, this tape served as a precursor to many other bands like The Violet Burning. I’m just not sure if this tape came before or after Darker. “Violet” is on both of their 1987 demos, and of course it was re-recorded by The Violet Burning. The version here is a bit shorter and faster than the one on Darker. And “You Make Me” is also a bit faster than their usual songs, so this demo does have a bit more pep to it than the others. But after this, it seems that the members went their separate ways to The Violet Burning (Pritzl and Gentry)  and Shekinah Brothers (Andrews and Dunne).

The Children – The Killing

The Children
The Killing
1986 (no label)
Costa Mesa, California, USA

1. Everything
2. Be With You
3. The Killing
4. Carry Me Away

The Children is kind of known as the band that led to The Violet Burning, although it also led to many other bands like Acoustic Shack and The Shekinah Brothers. They also really had their own style, even though they are still in the same general alternative rock vein. Violet Burning fans will recognize the song “The Killing,” as it was later re-recorded in a much different style for Chosen in 1989. This is the first of the three demos they recorded, followed in 1987 by either Darker or their two-song demo. Not sure which one came first. I also don’t know if there is a cover for this one or not, but without the cover I can’t say for sure who was a part of the band at this time.

Missing Information: Who played on this tape?